Washing machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B B A B R D m d o M 0 m WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 16, 1881 QM QZnZQ W (No Model.) 2 Sheath-Sheet 2.

D. F. BABB.

WASHING MAGHINE.

No. 245,764. Patented Aug. 16,1881

N, PETERS. PhnhrLflhogupher. Wmhm lm D. c.

STATES UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL F. BABE, OF KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,764, dated August16, 1881.

Application filed May 21, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, DANIEL FRANKLIN BABB, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at Kingsville, in the county of Essex,Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

I have improved the washing-machine in which the clothes are washed bythe action of a semi-cylindrical rubber adapted to be oscillated withina similarly-shaped tub, the rubbing-surfaces being of corrugated zinc.

The objects of my improvement are to provide means whereby theoscillating rubber may be turned up and moved and held out of the waydirectly upon its axis-connection with the tub, and to render the doublesheet-metal bottom water-tight.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a view, inperspective, of a machine embracing my improvements, the oscillatingrubber being turned up and supported at the end of the tub; Fig. 2, avertical section of the same. Fig. 3 shows the grooved side of one ofthe castings for the axis of the oscillating rubber, and Fig. 4 adetail, sectional view, showing the double bottom fitted in the groovedtub-sides.

The tub or containing bodyA is of suitable construction, and itssemi-cylindrical bottom is made double of sheet metal, preferably ofzinc. The under bottom, a, is fitted into grooves a in the sides of thetub and made water-tight by securing a galvanized wire, I), within thegroove above the edge of the bottom 3 and the upper bottom, 0, is formedwith corrugations which present cross-ridges in the tub and is alsosecured in grooves c in its sides. The corrugated bottom is insertedinto these side grooves and secured by cross cap-pieces d 66, the latterbeing made removable to expose the ends of the grooves, to allow thecorrugated bottom to be removed and replaced in reversed position topresent a new rubbing-surface when worn, and to allow of the convenientinsertion of a new rubbing-bottom, when required.

The oscillating rubber B is of semi-cylindrical form and adapted to beoscillated freely within the tub and clear of its bottom. It is providedwith an operating-handle, O, and is mounted by a horizontal cross-rod,D, which formsits axis-bearin gs within vertical grooves g, and uponwhich bearings it is oscillated so as to rub and squeeze the clothesupon and be tween the fixed and movable surfaces. In this action therubber is free to rise and fall within said vertical slots and toexertapressingaetion upon the clothes equal to its weight.

The operating-handle proper is a cross-bar connectingsidearms,whicharecentrallyjoined to the wooden sides of the rubber, andthrough which the axis crossrod passes. The convex surface of thisrubber is formed of corrugated sheet metal suitably secured to the sidesB, which are connected and braced by cross-bars.

Provision is made for turning the rubber up and supporting it at one endof the machine, to facilitate the placing of the clothes within the tubandtheirremoval therefrom. This provision consists of castings E,secured to the upper edges of the tub sides, and formed with grooves hon their inner sides, which have an arching form. These castings are soarranged as to extend from the middle of the length of the tub to oneend thereof, and their arching grooves form continuations of thevertical grooves within which the axis-bearings of the rubber areconfined.

To set the rubber out of the way it is raised vertically to bringitsaxis-bearings at the junction of the vertical and arching grooves, whenthe handle is depressed to tilt the rubber and draw it to the end of thetub, the axis-bearings sliding in the arched grooves and resting intheir ends, with the loweredge of the rubber resting against the end ofthe tub.

the ends of the grooves the arching form of the latter will hold saidbearings in place against the tendency of the rubber to fall back in thetub, so that such grooved attachments serve to confine the rubber inposition for operation, and, when turned up at one end, out of the way.i

A wringer of any suitable construction may be used upon the end board,-F.

The object of making the grooves a 0 in the sides of the tub of varyingdepths and widths is to allow the lower bottom, a, to be inserted andbound alongits edges within the deepest groove by galvanized-wirebinding 12, to render it water-tight, and to allow the corrugated bottomto be afterward inserted and secured in the Widest part, c, of thegrooves, both bottoms being thus secured by means of the cap-pieces d ee, and avoid nailing the bottom to the tub.

Referring to the grooved castings for the oscillating rubber, itwill beseen the arehingform of the grooves h serve as detents to retain therubber in its non-operative position, for, when in such position, theaxis-bearings of the rubher will rest in the ends it of the grooves atthe lowest points of their arching curves, and the tendency of therubber to fall back into the tub is prevented by the upward curvedrelation of the grooves h to said bearing ends h, thus securely holdingthe rubber out of the way. As the tub is used for wringing the clothesas they are removed it is very necessary that the rubber be held fromfalling back into the tub, and this is effected by the construction ofthe castings so as to form grooved keepers for the bearings of therubberthat is, keepers to prevent the rubber when raised from fallinginward or from turning over outward at the end.

The grooved keepers are formed with the lugs i, 6 and i by which theyare firmly secured to the sides of the tub both laterally andvertically, and are thus rendered sufficiently strong to form the meansby which to move the machine from place to place.

I claim- 1. The combination, with the tub and the oscillating rubber, ofthe grooved keepers E, formed with arched grooved parts, having thelowest or stop points at or near the end of the tub and risingtherefrom, substantially as shown, and for the purpose specified.

2. In a washing-machine, the sides of the tub formed with grooves ac, ofvarying depths and widths to receive the sheet-metal bottoms a and c,the under one being inserted in the grooves a, of greatest depth, andsealed by the wire-joint binding 12, and the corrugated bottom cinsertedin the groove 0, of least depth, and secured, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In a washing-machine having an oscillating rubber, the side keepersfor the bearings thereof, formed each with an arching groove, h, avertical groove, g, and the lugs 'i i i the said arching groove risingfrom the point h, and the said keepers secured both laterally andvertically, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DANIEL FRANKLIN BABB.

Witnesses:

J. ENOCH JOHNSON, MARTIN J. WIGLE.

